Labiche's old friends
In three of the the episodes in the mini series, Labiche talks about his life during his SNCF years and his old friends. There are of many different designs. Napoleon Napoleon 'is a massive steam locomotive owned by the SNCF following WWII. His attitude towards many small locomotives made them feared him, including Labiche. He was known as the "Emperor of France's railways" for his obsession with power over the railway. Labiche called him "SNCF's bully". Bio Napoleon was built for the post-war recovery for France's national railway (SNCF) following the Second World War from 1939 to 1945. When he saw that most of the locomotives were small and outdated, leading to him dictating the smaller locomotives. Many of the locomotives started realising that his personality is similar to the famed French emperor that he is named after, Napoleon did have a big ego. This caused many locomotives nicknaming him "Emperor of France's railways" and they went "scarce" when Napoleon came into the yards or even in stations. Napoleon always threatened to shunt locomotives through the buffers and into "bodies of water". All locomotives didn't like Napoleon and non had the bravery to stand up to the large 4-8-2, since him being larger and more powerful. In the 1960s, a 230B finally had enough with the 241P's behaviour that the engines didn't like and with an old 4-6-2 with him, stood up to Napoleon and the 230B (which is actually Labiche) had his back-up to push the 4-8-2. Napoleon hasn't been seen since Labiche left for preservation in the UK, the possibly that he had changed his ways about smaller locomotives when diesels were taking their work. Boule 'Boule '(nicknamed '"Papa Boule" 'due to his age) is an old goods locomotive that is a friend of Labiche. He was sold to the SNCF in the 1930s by the Great Western Railway and also served in France during WWI. Bio Boule is regarded as being an odd-looking engine, from the fact he looks British. He was originally built for the Great Western Railway (GWR) during the time of William Dean's control of locomotive design between 1883 and 1899. His build date is never known and he never talks about his old life on the GWR. What is known was that he was one of 45 members of his class shipped to France (along with eight LMS Fowler 3F "Jinty" 0-6-0Ts) to protect the country from invasion by Nazi Germany. The plan failed and the WD locomotives (including Boule) were captured. During their SNCF, the GWR 2301 class were known as "SNCF 030.W class", the 0-3-0 referring to his axle layout (The French count the number of axles, while the rest of the world counts the number of wheels). Trivia Boule's model is an Oxford Rail Dean Goods 0-6-0, but renumbered to a SNCF 030.W class, which are SNCf-owned ex-GWR Dean Goods locomotives. An air compressor is also fixed to his smokebox, vacuum brakes removed and air brake pipes added helps make him look French. Boule is named after Michael Simon's character in the 1965 movie 'John Frankenhiener's The Train'. This character is also called "Papa Boule". Oddly, the real 030.W.5 was given back to the GWR after WWII (1945) with the other Dean Goods class and Fowler 3F "Jinties". This means he shouldn't be in the events after WWII. Will is his brother. Patton 'Patton is a former US Army tank locomotive that worked on the SNCF. He is a friend of Labiche and even for his small size, big things really come out of him. Bio Patton was brought to France by the United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC) after D-Day in 1943. Following WWII, he was sold to the SNCF (as USATC No. 6102) and renumbered 030.TU.13 for service on the SNCF. According to him, Patton didn't like the fact that classifications referred to locomotive axle layouts and said that the rest of the world used "Whyte notation", which the French crews and workmen didn't understand the term, or even how to use it. Sometime in 1945, Patton met Labiche and Boule and the three became the yard's trio. Patton came face-to-face with Napoleon in 1949 and just gave him one hell of a shunt. The massive "Mountain-type" was even told to stay well away from the army tank, but Napoleon didn't listen. In 1955, He was found with a burst cylinder outside Paris on a goods train, which was too large for a locomotive his power and size. Labiche and a visiting Hunslet Austerity (owned privately in the UK) helped him to Metz for repairs. Patton even made a cameo appearance in John Frankenhiemer's 'The Train' in 1965 when a member of Labiche's classmates (dressed up as a German 'anti-aircraft' locomotive) went onto the wrong track. Patton was preserved after his retirement and is now a honorable French steam locomotive, in spite of his American origins. Basis or real locomotive Patton is based on a real SNCF 030.TU class 0-6-0T. These were really USATC S100 0-6-0Ts sold to the SNCF after WWII, when the American army now didn't need them. The actual No. 030.TU.13 is preserved today at the Dépôt-musée de Pont-Érambourg (English Translation: Depot Museum of Pont-Érambourg) The locomotive isn't operational. SR USA 0-6-0T Audie is also a member of the USATC S100's, only sold the Southern Railway (UK). Trivia Patton is named after WWI and WWII American soldier and tank ace George S. Patton. He convinced the United States Army to use tanks instead of the horse cavalry in WWI, which Patton's decision payed off. Patton was also the leader of the US division that defeated Fascist Italy (under Benito Mussolini) in 1943. Patton's behaviour is based on that of George S. Patton. Patton's model is a renumbered Jouef SNCF 030.TU class 0-6-0T. This model is at the same HO scale as all the French locomotive (but Boule, which is of the British OO gauge). Since Patton is a USATC S100, this means that Audie is his brother. Category:Tender locomotives Category:Tank locomotives Category:Non-British vehicles Category:Scrapped Category:Preserved